First Iran now Indonesia… feels like everyone starts to impose fee on straits one by one

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If this keeps spreading, global shipping costs start getting shaped by geography pricing instead of pure fuel economics.

Indonesia just announced plans to start charging fees on ships going through the Strait of Malacca.The government said they will introduce transit charges on foreign vessels passing through their waters in the strait. They call it a “sovereignty fee” or “transit fee” to help pay for maintaining the waterway, navigation aids, and security.

The Strait of Malacca is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, carrying a huge amount of oil, LNG, and cargo between Asia and the Middle East/Europe. Indonesia says the fees will start sometime later this year, but they haven’t given exact rates or a firm start date yet.

What could happen if charging fees on major straits becomes a real trend (Iran on Hormuz, Indonesia on Malacca, and others jumping in):

Short-term effects (weeks to months)

  • Shipping costs jump fast. Even small fees per ship add up quick when you move millions of barrels of oil or containers every day.
  • Insurance premiums spike higher because everyone sees more risk and friction.
  • Tankers take longer routes (like around the Cape of Good Hope) to avoid fees. That burns more fuel and adds 10-20 days to trips.
  • Oil and gas prices get pushed up. Asia and Europe feel it hardest since they rely heavily on these routes.

Medium-term effects (if it sticks)

  • Global inflation gets worse. Higher energy and shipping costs feed into everything – food, goods, manufacturing.
  • Big oil companies and producers make more money on the higher prices, but refiners and consumers get squeezed.
  • Some trade gets rerouted permanently or slowed down. Companies start looking for other suppliers or build up stockpiles.
  • Geopolitical fights increase. Countries like Singapore, US, EU will push back hard. You could see more naval presence, disputes, or even retaliation.